Swivel for bulldozer blades



y 1, 1952 J. A. THIERRY 2,601,732

SWIVEL FOR BULLDOZER BLADES Filed Dec. 16, 194 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTORNEK Patented July 1, 1952 2,601,732 SWIVEL FOR BULLDOZER BLADES John Adams Thierry, South Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Bucyrus-Erie Company, South Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application December 16, 1946, Serial No. 716,457

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to new and useful im provements in swivels for bulldozer blades, and more particularly the blades of angling bulldozers.

In bulldozers of the type to which my invention is more particularly adapted, namely angling bulldozers, a U-shaped frame, surrounds the front end of a tractor, the ends of the two branches of the U being pivoted to the sides of the tractor, usually on or adjacent to the rear axles thereof. The center of the curve of the U is attached to the center of the rear of the blade by means of a joint, which permits the blade to be tilted in a vertical plane and angled in the horizontal plane. An adjustable brace extends from the sides of the U to each end of the blade, where the brace is attachable at various elevations to an arcuate guide on the blade, thus effecting tilting of the blade in a vertical plane. Attaching the rear ends of the braces at various selective positions on the U effects angling of the blade in the horizontal plane.

It is important to have the connection between the U and the blade such that, as the blade is tilted and angled, the face of the blade is always in the same plane relative to the ground. To accomplish this, designers have, in recent years, adopted the use of an intermediate mounting block which is attached to the center of the U- frame by a vertical pin that-permits angling, and to the back of the blade by another pin or swivel connection that permits tilting only about an axis perpendicular to the face of the blade. However, this solution has the disadvantages that it is expensive, makes disassembly complicated, and is not sufficiently compact to bring the blade as close to the front of the tractor as is desired.

Accordingly, the principal object of my inven tion is to improve the connection between theblade and the U, with the following ends in view, namely:

(1) To provide a connection which will tiltably support the blade on an axis which is always at right angles to the blade.

(2 To render this connection more compact, thus bringing the blade closer to the front end of the tractor.

(3) To render more simple and easy the assembling and disassembling of the blade.

(4) To provide a connection in which all independent moving or removable parts other than a single pin between the blade and the supporting U-member are eliminated. v

(5) To provide a connection which is simpler, lighter, and cheaper to manufacture.

(6) To provide a connection that will furnish a firm and steady mounting for the blade and a snug fitting relationship between the blade, the supporting U-frame, and the connecting pin, in all positions of tilting and angling.

In addition to the objects above stated, I have Worked out a number of novel anduseful details, which will be readily evident as the description progresses.

My invention consists in the novel parts, and in the combination and arrangement thereof, which are defined in the appended claims, and of which one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, which are hereinafter particularly described and explained.

Throughout the description, the same reference number is applied to the same member or to similar members.

' Referring now to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blade and U- shaped frame of a bulldozer, according to the present invention, the blade being partly in section.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the blade, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged diagonal view, from one side rear, partly in section, showing the front central portion of the supporting U-shaped frame, the central portion of the blade, and the connection between them.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of said connection, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of said connection, taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section, taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 4, showing the connection in a horizontal plane through the upper square portion of the pin.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section, taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 4, showing the connection in a horizontal plane through the intermediate circular portion of the pin.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, we see that H represents a conventional U-shaped bulldozer supporting frame which serves to mount the bulldozer blade I2 forwardly of a tractor (not shown). The blade I! is shown in Figure 3 as a built-up structure consistin of a front moldboard [2a, a longitudinal digging edge [2b, and a backplate I20 mounted on the back of the moldboard by means of longitudinal angle irons lZd and 12a. These details of the blade structure are merely one of a number of conventional types of concipal feature of my present invention; .as'will be described hereinafter.

In order to retain the bulldozer blade in a givenposition in the horizontal plane; channel braces-J I6, known to the trade as landsides, are'provided between the side arms vMiand the endsof the bulldozer blade I2. landside 16 carries a pin I! which is receivable in one of holes l3 longitudinally spaced along each sidearm, The methodof attaching the forwardends of the landsides to thearcuate-rails IE) on the blade I2, so as to retain the blade in any giventilted position'in the vertical plane, may be as shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2,308,535, issued January 19, 1943, to Thomas R. Paulsen; or anyother com-parable means may be employed.-

Some conventional meanslnotshown) must be provided for raising and lowering the blade, about the pivotal connection of the frame'to'the tractor.

Turning now more particularly to Figures 3 to 5, let usconsiderthemeans for securing the blade l2 to the forward portion 1 5 of the frame I l.

The front portion l5 of'frame H has a cylindrical abutment 20-"with spherical ends 2! and 22 and a vertical cylindrical hole 23' therethrough.

On, and integrally secured to,-the reariaceof the blade I2, is attaching member 24"which has two rearwardly projecting top and bottomilugs 25 and 265 These lugs are adapted to overlie the spherical ends' Hand 22 of abutment 20;: and have vertical holes 21 and 28 respectively which are keyed by pin 29 'to hole 23in abutmentZU,

Pin 29 has a cylindrical-portion 30' to fit in hole 23 of abutment.20,=.a square-head with sides slightly longer than th'ediameter of cylindrical portion 30' to fit in'h'ole '21 of lug 25; and square end'32wvith sidesislightly shorter'than the diameter of cylindricalportion 39" to fit'in hole'23 of lug26.

Holes 21 and 28 in lugs-25 and 2tare-rectangular in cross section. Their short sides 33 and 34 are perpendicularto the hacker the blade and are approximately the same length respectively as the side of jhead'3i and end 32 -of'pin 29 in order to give snug fit and prevent any foreand-aft tippingof the'bladeI Their long sides 35 and 31 are somewhat longer than the sides of the pin head and end respectivelyin' order to permit the blade to tilt about its perpendicular axis. The diiference in length is mall-however, because the maximum angle of tilt'iis usually'onlyabout 6 7 degrees.

The top and bottom surfaces .of lugs 25 and '26 respectively are cylindrical aboutthe'tilting axis 'of the blade. Pin-=29 has a curved. cap38 which with spherical surface 21.

The object of squaring the head 3|and'the' The rear end of. each.

lower end 32 of pin 29 is two-fold. First, to prevent the cap 38 from rotatin out of coverin position. Secondly, to afford a surface-contact rather than a line contact between pin 29 and holes 21 and 28 in the blade-lugs 25 and 25, thus insuring the blade against the tipping which would be permitted as a line contact began to wear. But it'should be noted: that, for these purposes, only the front and" rear surfaces of head 3| and end 32 need be fiat; and that the first purpose would be fully served, and the second purpose partly served, if only oneend of pin 29 were thus treated.

. Theforward half of the inner surface of lugs 25 and -25;-is-spherical to register on the spherical endsofabutment'ZO, but the rear half is cylindrical about the'tilting axis of the blade to permit the lugs to be withdrawn from the abutment when the blade is dismantled.

The connection is assembled by simply inserting abutment 20 'betweenthe .lugs. 25 and 25 of member 24 on the. back of the blade and then insertinglpin' 29 through the-three holes already described. The pin may be held in place by a cotterepin .(not shown) or other suitable fastening means. a

It'willibe noted'that'my pin' 29 isthe only part to be inserted .or adjustedin assembly, inasmuch asv my invention has eliminated the-second pin, pivot plate, or bayonet joint 'as the case may be commonly used in'present'machines between the blade and the :separate attachingmember. Furthermoreit willireadily. be seen that the blade can. be .assembled and disassembled in normal horizontal position; Without itbeing necessary to. turn either'zit Ior any other part; Another advantageof thisiconnectionis .that it is more compact, .ittbeing possible to place the blade closer to "the. supporting frame because of the elimination. of any-intermediate attaching-.member with its additional pin or other fswiveljoint between the blade and the supporting frame.

Having now describedtand illustrated oneform of :my: invention; I wish it to be'understood that my invention :is-not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and'shown; or, specifically covered bymy claims.

1. In a bulldozer, the combination of: a U- shaped'supporting frame; a blade; a pin; a supportingmember rigidly mounted on the back of the blade; said member havingahole for receiving a' portion tof saidpin; thesupporting frame havinga holeifor "receiving another portion of .saidpin; andhaving a spherical bearing surface adjacent thisrfhole; said spherical bearing surface having: supporting-contact with the underside :of saidvsupporting member; and thetransverse dimension, parallel to the back of the-blade,

of one of said holesbeing materially greater than characterized'by the-fact-that said pin has'a direct sliding.- contact withrat least one sideof one of said holes-in'a plane parallel to the back of the bladeand has direct bearing contact With'at least a portion of :the wall :of the other of'said holes,

so that the bladeis: constrained against'tipping in at least one. direction and direct bearing ,contact is provided between 'thersuppprting member 5 and the pin as well as between the supporting Number member and the U-shaped supporting frame. 771,457 JOHN ADAMS THIERRY. 1,806,568 1,869,984 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,961,011 The following references are of record in the 1,964,350 file of this patent: 2,162,993 2,308,535 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 412 574 Number Name Date 10 292,795 Dickison Feb. 5, 1884 440,578 Schrader Nov. 11, 1890 Number 455,755 Llndgren July 14, 1891 192,639

Name Date Bullard Oct. 4, 1904 Adams May 19, 1931 Sklarek Aug. 2, 1932 Pearson May 29, 1934 Le Tourneau June 26, 1934 Austin June 20, 1939 Paulsen Jan. 19, 1943 French Dec. 17, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Nov. 1, 1937 

